658 Tasting Notes

I was really pleased to see a nice, light Oolong in this blend. It smelled kind of perfumey, but pleasant. I really like my Earl Greys but don’t find myself reaching for them often at home, for some reason. But, I will always try a new Earl Grey blend.

This is pretty evenly balanced between green, floral Oolong and fresh citrus. This tastes more on the orange/tangerine than typical bergamot side, to me. And they don’t mention bergamot in the description, which makes me wonder if it’s perhaps not bergamot flavouring. The jasmine flowers are a really interesting addition, playing up the tea’s floral characteristics and make for a nice silky feeling on the tongue.

I just saw this when I was looking through the DavidsTea site the other day and noticed it hadn’t been reviewed on Steepster yet. And now here’s a review! I am definitely looking forward to trying it (I am now amassing a list of teas for when DavidsTea opens in NYC).

I also wondered about the odd absence of bergamot in the description, but am assuming it falls under ‘natural flavouring’…? The description makes it seem like ‘citrus jasmine oolong’ rather than an earl grey, which may be why I’m not running out to try it.

As others have noted, the honey-sweetness and roastiness are less prevalent in this than in the other China Cha Dao Oolong samples. However, I’ve really enjoyed five infusions of it. It’s certainly more subtle, and perhaps less complex. But, I like how it evolved for me. I was really surprised by the strong floral notes I got from the third steep onwards. It started out quite nutty, and the floral emerged to work alongside the nuttiness.

Very nice. I think the orange and chocolate both come through really nicely in this (and it smells incredible!). Very smooth, creamy, and rich. What I didn’t really taste was pu’erh! Not much characteristic pu’erh taste, though it tastes like a robust and smooth Chinese black. It made an excellent nighttime tea.

I smelled this one yesterday evening, AFTER I’d had them make up a Chocolate Chili Chai to go. :( It smelled soooooo gooood! I have to be good and finish some of my teas before I go and get more, but this is one I plan to get and try.

Such beautifully fluffy leaves! After what seems like quite the trying journey, being prodded and slit open by Canadian Border Services, some generous samples from Teavivre reached me today.

I wasn’t going to log this one yet, having grabbed it running out the door to work to brew what I’ve seen termed “grandpa-style” in my infuser flask. But, I was really happy with how well it held up! I boiled the water before leaving and it cooled (in a double-walled glass flask with a neoprene sleeve) for almost two hours, so it was kind of just tepid by the time I used it. The leaves floated happily in the flask for probably half an hour while I drank. It was very flavourful but never got bitter or burnt-tasting. It was delicately-green tasting, juicy, and invigorating but soothing as I find Bai Mu Dans to be. This is a lovely example. Really sweetly earthy in a way that makes me think of spring.

I had this to-go with the straight tea promo (though I’d argue against it being a straight tea, really!). I don’t think you can go too far wrong with genmaicha, which is why I chose it. It hit the spot, but didn’t taste quite fresh enough. I think I’m spoiled with the Den’s genmaichas which have a really great contrast between sweet sencha and toasty rice. Still, nice, soothing, and smooth.

Yep, yuck. This does smell pretty foul, but I want to like it. I quite like figs! And, I loved Forbidden Fruit. I smell the rotten fruit/garbage that DaisyChubb mentioned, but also a faint hint of the figginess from Forbidden Fruit, so I resolved to fight through that and give it a chance. Unfortunately, I taste the root beer, rum, garbage, and sweet plastic that others have noted. None of these are things I like to drink. I don’t know. I am telling myself I’ll give this another try, but I could only get through a couple tentative sips. The smell is really potent.

I agree. The smell was ok at first, but on first sip, I thought to myself, ‘Did they really come out something this terrible?’ I gave it a few more sips until my stomach turned into a knot, then I had to toss it out. Very gross, nothing is appealing about it.

I like it! Definitely banana-nut bread, but for someone who doesn’t like banana flavours it works. I’m also getting a delicious, rich caramel thing going on. I had to leave and didn’t return to this until hours later so I drank most of it cold (which was actually fine), so I’ll have to make more soon.

Alright, pretty good. It took me most of the mug to get my head around the flavour, but I think I’m there now. It’s a bit odd as it really DOES taste like fruit punch. It has the same essence as one of those cans of frozen fruit punch (the male called it a fruit punch “twang”, and I think I know what he means?). But with spices. Sweet, fruity, and cinnamony but not too heavily spiced. Also, the male seems to quite like it so it gets points for that. He will drink anything but doesn’t typically actively like teas.

This one still has so much promise, but it’s unchanged from last year for me. Really tasty, with the chocolate coming through and the chilies rounding it out really nicely. And it still smells absolutely phenomenal. But, still a little weak even with quite a lot of leaf. I have to agree with Michelle Butler Hallett in thinking an Indian black base would have solved this. I think that would have balanced this out so much better. I’m torn. So tasty, so weak! This re-visit has stimulated my interest enough to get me to play around with it a little more, at least.

I really enjoyed this one last year and was dissapointed that it went away. Now that it is back I realize I still have half a tin left of it so maybe I don’t love it as much as I thought now that I have others I have tried. Still a good tea. Let me know if you figure out something great to make with it?

I think I still have at least a bit left somewhere from last year, but tore into a new bag! Silly. I’ll let you know if I figure anything out. I do really enjoy it, but wish it was a little more flavourful.